Remote Inspection of Marine Vessels

Abstract

A marine vessel can include a tank configured to be at least partially submerged in water during normal operations. The marine vessel can also include a vent pipe disposed within the hull, where the vent pipe has a first end and a second end, where the first end of the vent pipe extends above the water, where the second end of the vent pipe is disposed in a tank in the hull, and where the vent pipe is sized along its length between the first end and the second end to allow an inspection apparatus to pass therethrough.

1 . A marine vessel comprising:
 a hull configured to be at least partially submerged in water; and   a vent pipe disposed within the hull, wherein the vent pipe has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the vent pipe extends above the water, wherein the second end of the vent pipe is disposed in a tank in the hull, wherein the vent pipe is sized along its length between the first end and the second end to allow an inspection apparatus to pass therethrough, and wherein the inspection apparatus comprises at least one of a group consisting of a remotely operated vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a crawler.   
     
     
         2 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises a column that extends upward above the water, wherein the vent pipe is disposed within the column and extends above a top end of the column. 
     
     
         3 . The marine vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the hull further comprises a pontoon disposed below the column in the water, wherein the vent pipe is further disposed inside the pontoon. 
     
     
         4 . The marine vessel of  claim 3 , wherein the pontoon comprises four quadrants, wherein the second end of the vent pipe is disposed in one quadrant of the four quadrants of the pontoon. 
     
     
         5 . The marine vessel of  claim 2 , wherein the column comprises multiple compartments that are stacked atop each other. 
     
     
         6 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the vent pipe has a bend along its length. 
     
     
         7 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the vent pipe further extends above a deck of the hull. 
     
     
         8 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises a plurality of tanks, wherein the vent pipe is among a plurality of vent pipes, and wherein each of the plurality of tanks has one of the plurality of vent pipes disposed therein. 
     
     
         9 . The marine vessel of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of tanks is physically separated from a remainder of the plurality of tanks, and wherein each of the plurality of vent pipes is physically separated from a remainder of the plurality of vent pipes. 
     
     
         10 . The marine vessel of  claim 8 , wherein one of the plurality of tanks is at least partially filled with water. 
     
     
         11 . The marine vessel of  claim 8 , wherein one of the plurality of tanks is void of water. 
     
     
         12 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises a plurality of compartments, and wherein each compartment of the plurality of compartments is physically isolated from a remainder of the plurality of compartments. 
     
     
         13 . The marine vessel of  claim 12 , wherein the vent pipe is among a plurality of vent pipes, and wherein each compartment of the plurality of compartments has disposed therein at least one vent pipe of the plurality of vent pipes. 
     
     
         14 . The marine vessel of  claim 13 , wherein each compartment of the plurality of compartments comprises a plurality of tanks, and wherein the at least one vent pipe for each compartment is disposed in the plurality of tanks. 
     
     
         15 . The marine vessel of  claim 13 , wherein each compartment of the plurality of compartments further comprises a void, and wherein the at least one vent pipe for each compartment is further disposed in the void. 
     
     
         16 . The marine vessel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second vent pipe, wherein the hull comprises a first tank and a second tank that are physically isolated from each other, wherein the second end of the vent pipe is disposed within the first tank, wherein the second vent pipe has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second vent pipe extends above the water, wherein the second end of the second vent pipe is disposed in the second tank, and wherein the second vent pipe is sized along its length between the first end and the second end to allow the inspection apparatus to pass therein.   
     
     
         17 . The marine vessel of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a second column that extends upward from the second tank above the water, wherein the second vent pipe is disposed inside of the second column, and wherein the first end of the second vent pipe extends through a top of the second column.   
     
     
         18 . A method for inspecting a marine vessel, the method comprising:
 initiating, proximate to a top end of a vent pipe of the marine vessel at a time, an inspection apparatus, wherein the inspection apparatus, after being initiated at the time, is configured to travel through the vent pipe to reach a tank within a hull of the marine vessel, wherein the inspection apparatus is configured to collect inspection data while inspecting the tank, and wherein the inspection apparatus, when finished inspecting the tank, is configured to travel back through the vent pipe toward the top end; and   retrieving the inspection data from the inspection apparatus after the inspection apparatus emerges from the top end of the vent pipe, wherein the inspection apparatus comprises at least one of a group consisting of a remotely operated vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a crawler.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 initiating, within a second vent pipe of the marine vessel, the inspection apparatus at a second time, wherein the inspection apparatus, after being initiated at the second time, is configured to travel through the second vent pipe to reach a second tank of the hull of the marine vessel, wherein the tank and the second tank are physically separated from each other, wherein the inspection apparatus is configured to collect second inspection data while inspecting the second tank of the hull, and wherein the inspection apparatus, when finished inspecting the second tank of the hull, is configured to travel back through the second vent pipe; and   retrieving the second inspection data from the inspection apparatus after the inspection apparatus emerges from a top end of the second vent pipe.   
     
     
         20 . A method for manufacturing a marine vessel, the method comprising:
 installing a vent pipe, wherein the vent pipe has a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the vent pipe is configured to be disposed within a tank inside a hull of the marine vessel, wherein the hull is configured to be disposed under water, wherein the first end of the vent pipe is configured to be disposed above a top of the hull, wherein the first end of the vent pipe is accessible without entering a structural component of the marine vessel, wherein the vent pipe has a size along its length that is configured to receive an inspection apparatus, wherein the inspection apparatus is configured to pass through and between the first end and the second end of the vent pipe, and wherein the inspection apparatus comprises at least one of a group consisting of a remotely operated vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a crawler.